WITH a council that has been dominated by the Labour party for years, uncertainty and unpredictability aren’t words normally associated with Halton Council elections.

This year though, things are different.

A major boundary shakeup means many long-established wards have been consigned to history, while others have been combined to create entirely new ones.

This has also had the additional impact of meaning that, while normally only one third of council seats are contested in any given local election, this time they are all up for grabs in Halton.

The Covid pandemic has also dramatically added to the uncertainty, both in terms of how it has hampered each party’s ability to get out on the doorstep and campaign, and in terms of how it will impact the electorate’s desire and confidence to head to polling stations on the day.

For these reasons, many long-established councillors behind the scenes are feeling nervous about what the election could bring.

One key ward to watch is Beechwood and Heath. This new ward is a combination of a former Labour ward and Liberal Democrat ward, with both parties now having to go head-to-head to claim the spoils. The politics will be further complicated by the fact Green and independent candidates are standing, and it is uncertain if that may split the vote between the two frontrunners.

Another ward to watch is Birchfield, which is usually a closely run affair between The Conservatives and Labour.

There could be a surprise in the new Daresbury, Moore and Sandymoor ward too.

Daresbury had been a two councillor ward and has had the borough’s only Conservative councillors for many years – John and Marjorie Bradshaw.

But the new ward will now have an additional council seat and it remains to be seen if this too will turn blue.